German pop music producer and former pop singer Frank Farian is dead. He died peacefully at home in Miami, Florida at the age of 82. The Allendorf Media agency announced this on Tuesday, citing his family. What exactly killed the successful producer, who wrote countless hits for Boney M., Stevie Wonder, Meatloaf and Milli Vanilli, is still unknown.
Watch the video: The most important stages in Frank Farian’s life
On everyone’s lips again thanks to cinema
Frank Farian was only recently on everyone’s lips again thanks to the film “Girl You Know It’s True” by Simon Verhoeven, which was released in cinemas on December 21, 2023 and brought the biggest scandal in pop history to the screen. The pop duo Milli Vanilli became superstars in the 80s thanks to Farian – until it turned out that the two singers Fab Morvan and Rob Pilatus didn’t even sing themselves. An unprecedented scandal that not only had serious consequences for the two singers, but also severely damaged Farian’s image.
Serious operation in 2022 – new heart valve at the age of 80
Farian has been physically ill, especially in recent years. The heart no longer cooperated. That’s why Farian will have to undergo a serious heart operation in 2022, as he revealed in an interview with “Bild”. A pig’s heart valve was inserted into his body.
The decision to have this procedure was not easy for the then 80-year-old. “It took me a year until I was able to bring myself to have the operation. But it was urgently needed. Without the new heart valve I might have died. “She saved my life,” he continued to tell the medium.
Stroke to bleeding – complication after surgery
Patients usually need a new heart valve in the event of insufficiency, when a heart valve no longer closes properly, or in the event of stenosis, when it is narrowed. The operation takes place either open-heart or minimally invasive – depending on what is suitable for the patient.
According to the “Guide to Heart Failure”, blood clots can cause vascular occlusion and bleeding caused by the medication can occur after an operation. Strokes can result, as can secondary bleeding.
Rehabilitation is usually required after heart valve surgery. In everyday life, patients still need support for some time afterwards because they are no longer as resilient.
Vasodilating medications after surgery
Everything seemed to be going well for Frank Farian at the time. According to his own statements, he was able to leave the clinic the next day and went into rehab. As he further reported in “Bild” at the time, he had to take vasodilator medication: “This is a similar active ingredient to Viagra and has a nice side effect. But to be honest, I’m not thinking about sex at all at the moment,” he joked at the time.
In the end, Farian became increasingly weak and in a wheelchair
Even last November, Farian was still joking: “My heart valve is working wonderfully. Mick Jagger also received exactly the same heart valve. I have a good pig in me! And I’m very grateful for that,” he told Bild.
In the end, Farian is said to have gotten worse and worse. As “Bild” reports, he is said to have become increasingly weaker since the operation. He would have lost a lot of weight, would have needed a wheelchair and a breathing machine because of lung problems. He also found it difficult to speak.
As his former partner and confidant Ingrid Segieth (69) reported to the medium, he was still in good spirits and full of enthusiasm. In the spring he wanted to take a boat trip to Germany because he was no longer allowed to fly due to his condition. A journey that he can no longer undertake.
The original for this article “Frank Farian had a pig heart valve – what is known about his medical records” comes from BUNTE.de.